TBF-1 white 18 over Wake island – original color photo
TBM-3E Avenger #3 of VT-33 in flight over USS Sangamon March 2,7 1945
Avenger #22 on deck of carrier USS Anzio during a typhoon east of the Philippines 17 December 1944.
Some pretty brave young sailors with the flight-deck crew, no lines, no life vests.
TBM-1C Avenger #48 of VT-10 on the hangar deck of the USS Enterprise – June 12 1944.
Minus one whole side of the elevator that was shot off.
Still made it all the back and landed the crew safely on the carrier deck.
TBF Avenger of VT-31 scrambles from the sinking aircraft after the pilot ditched it during
flight operations on board the light carrier USS Cabot (CVL-28) on September 6, 1943
Great news on the rear gunner's turret - it is mostly intact, including the electric drives. The one thing missing is the trigger grip from the gunner's aiming / control box. We have found a replacement (pictured).
Also, TBM Avengers were a single position pilot controlled platform. The position behind the pilot was originally for radio equipment. But in later models, many were manufactured (or converted) to house an autopilot. The old autopilots were connected directly to the main aileron and elevator flight control action shafts and cables via the same means: an actual yoke stick. In our Avenger, we have a middle seat and the lower yoke element is still there. However the yoke stick has been sawed off. We have a replacement for this too, and plan to install it so that the ship can be partially dual controlled (no rudder pedals for now for middle seat position though).
The cargo ship transporting our TBM Avenger flies the Singapore flag. It is called Parsifal and is owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics. It is a vehicles carrier.
Track the real time location by clicking HERE - then scroll down to the map and details on lower left. ETA October 15th in Long Beach, California.
The lowering of the road ramp allows vehicles to drive in and out. Note the orange life vessel to the upper left - imagine that ride straight down into the ocean!
Well you can watch this from a similar ship and height in the video below. It rivals 6 Flags.
The upcoming 2018 Avenger Gathering in LaSalle Peru, Illinois will be the 3rd annual event, and it seems to be growing fast. Although last year was almost a rainout, a lot of folks still showed up to see 7 Avengers that braved the foul weather. In 2016, over 20,000 people attended. The event had been founded and is presently headed up by Brad Deckert from Eureka, Illinois. Brad owns and flies a the magnificently outfitted TBM "T83"
Brad' Deckert's TBM Avenger NL81865.
This aircraft flew off the aircraft carrier USS Vella Gulf and participated in the Okinawa campaign.
This is a sad story I came across about a TBM rear turret gunner from the aircraft carrier Essex.
His name was Loyce Deen.
Loyce Deen
A most dramatic WWII scene captured on film, showed a sailor buried at sea in the plane in which he gave his life. The plane was so badly hit by 40mm anti-aircraft (AA) shells, Captain Carlos W. Wieber, Commanding Officer of the Essex, in concert with the crew, decided to leave his body in the plane. In addition, orders also came down not to strip the plane for parts - which was quite an extraordinary tribute at the time since aircraft parts were scarce and in demand. VIDEO HERE:
For almost all of his missions, Loyce teamed up with Pilot Lt. Robert Cosgrove (24) from New Orleans, Louisiana and Radioman Digby Denzek (20) from Grand Rapids, Michigan.
L to R: Digby, Cosgrove, Deen
Lt. Cosgrove was a top pilot and would often bring his almost un-flyable plane back. Loyce was the rear turret machine gunner (.50 cal.) and would protect the plane from the side and above. Digby had several roles, including arming the torpedo and operating the radio. Additionally, when they were under fire, he would crawl below the gun turret pod and use a machine gun protruding out the bottom end of the plane to protect the belly of the aircraft.
Lt. Cosgrove strategizing an attack with his wingman
Together, this team of young men fought courageously everywhere in the South Pacific. Places included the Battle of Leyte Gulf, Iwo Jima (to soften up defense before the invasion), Formosa (now Taiwan), Philippines, Marcus Island, Wake Island, Saipan, Orate Airfield, Rota Island, Peleliu, Mindanao, Cebu, Luzon, Panay, Okinawa and finally Manila Bay.
Loyce is the first sailor from the left in the second row from the front. Digby is the first sailor on the left in the first row. Loyce's good friend, the youngster behind him (with his arms over Loyce's shoulders) was also later killed.
We are in the process of digging into the actual WWII service of this airplane, but we know that the paint scheme is from the fighting squadrons on the original aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill, which was an Essex Class carrier (the biggest) designated as CV-17, participating in the efforts against the Japanese Empire, and primarily attacking the Imperial Japanese Navy, in the pacific theatre of World War II.
Here is some information and short stories from the history we have outlined on the ship, the squadron and some of the crew. They are in the format of the posters which we plan to have on display at airshows that we will attend.
The USS Bunker Hill Overview:
Kamikaze Attack:
On the morning of 11 May 1945, while supporting the invasion of Okinawa, Bunker Hill was struck and severely damaged by two Japanese kamikaze planes.
Left - The pilot of the second Zero, Ensign Kiyoshi Ogawa and relics recovered at the scene by US Navy diver Robert Schock, who was riding aboard Bunker Hill. Schock found Ogawa dead in the cockpit, and removed Ogawa's name tag from his flight suit, along with a letter Ogawa carried with him on his last mission, some photographs, a belt from Ogawa's parachute harness, and a large smashed aviator watch of the type that Japanese pilots wore around their necks. Evident also in the far upper picture, on March 27, 2001, Ogawa's grandniece, her mother, and an old college friend of Kiyoshi Ogawa, received these personal effects in San Francisco, nearly 56 years after Operation Kikusui No. 6.
Right - * The engine of Kiyoshi's plane lying on the flight deck of the USS Bunker Hill. Close examination confirms definitively that Kiyoshi flew a Zero fighter. *from "Danger's Hour by Maxwell Taylor Kennedy
The best of 3 TBM Avengers on the market was located in Brisbane, so we had to go see it. The pre-buy inspection went well, so we made the deal. Right now it sits on a cargo ship somewhere in the west Pacific, on it's way to Long Beach, California. We will be there for the ship's arrival October 15th, coordinate the delivery to Long Beach Airport by truck, then tune it up for the flight home, which will be at our hanger at Lakeland Airport (KARV) in Arbor Vitae (Woodruff/Minocqua) Wisconsin. Here are a few videos: Run-up, and some "walk arounds".
